Thursday, July 14, 2005

I grew up in a family of Republicans. They might havesplit their ticket from time to time but they weremostly Republicans, some vehemently so. Yet, I becamea Democrat. My feet were firmly set at a young age. You see, while my family were Republicans, they nevertalked about politics so I didn’t know their politicalbeliefs or how they were formed. Fortunately, orunfortunately depending on your viewpoint, a neighborof my mother's was not so restrained. She had nevermarried and in those days that meant she had nochildren. She asked me to look after her cat when shewent away and took me under her wing. She gave mebooks, took me to a movie, and took me to my firstpolitical event. We handed out flyers for a staterepresentative or state senate candidate. His namewas Phil, last name lost to memory, and he lost theelection to boot. But he did thank me personally.

The neighbor, whose name I have taken as a pseudonymfor this blog, was involved in the local Democraticcommittee. When I was in high school one of our USsenators came to town. It must have been an electionyear or else he was especially diligent as the townwas very small and not a usual stopping point. Iworked on the school paper and the neighbor finagledan interview with the senator for me. After hisbreakfast meeting, he was going to the high school foran assembly. I rode with him and an aide in the carand asked my questions there. He was unfailinglypolite and his staff followed up with information onquestions to flesh out what he said. They also sentme an autographed picture. That year for Christmasthe neighbor gave me a letter opener with hissignature engraved on it. I still have both of them,more than a quarter of a century later.

As a young girl I had met a state level electedofficial who had stopped by the church I attended. Being a bold little rascal I went up and asked if Icould shake his hand. He smiled nicely and said sure. It was a brief encounter but stuck in my mind. Idon’t really remember what party he was in or exactlywhat office he held but I remember he was kind to me. On election night my mother and I drove up to thelocal newspaper office to check the elections returnsto see if he won whatever office he was running. Thiswas before the Internet and late night news; the paperposted returns in the front office window.

As an adult, I found out that my grandfather had beeninvited to run for town office on the Republicanticket but no one could be found to run for mayor sothe slate was dropped. He never spoke about that. Iwonder if the letter on my voter registration cardwould be different today if he had.

And so my introduction to politics was provided by apartisan Democrat who took advantage of car rides toevents or conversations regarding the feeding of hercat to indoctrinate me. “Republicans look afterbusiness; Democrats look after people. Don’t forget,”she would say. There are other reasons why I haveretained my sense of party affiliation but the seedswere sown there.

I am involved in community events, as is Mr. Jane, andso our children are sometimes taken out to streetfairs and tree plantings and such. One electedofficial whose family was grown borrowed them for anafternoon as a rationale for attending a Halloweenevent (I went along too). Another borrowed them to bein a group photo on a campaign brochure. The youngestlittle Jane appeared on someone else’s campaign website. So they are used to interacting with electedofficials and candidates. The oldest little Jane,whose age is still in single digits told me he didn’tknow who to support in one local race because he sortof knew both candidates. “It’s a toughy” I told him,wanting him to come to his own conclusions. Like manyparents my husband and I took our kids to the pollswith us and let them push one or two buttons. We’vetold them we are Democrats but that they areencouraged to develop their own beliefs.

If my civic involvement serves no other purpose, mytime will have been well spent if my children grow upthinking elected officials are people they can andshould interact with on a regular basis. Next to abig fat inheritance (which looks unlikely), it’s thebest legacy I can leave them.

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